School Boards

Policy 
It is the policy of the Central Vermont Supervisory Union and its members school district to encourage public participation at its meetings. 

Background
Public participation is very important to the successful function of the Central Vermont Supervisory Union and its member school districts. The board intends to carry our its business with the benefit of public input and expertise, while keeping the public informed and up-to-date on what is happening in the community's schools. 

Implementation

• Reasonable rules of participation may be used to ensure that meetings are conducted in an orderly fashion and that the business at hand is completed in a timely manner. Such rules may take into consideration such as length of each speaker's presentation and the number of times each speaker may comment. 
• When the number of people wishing to speak is large, the board may authorize the chair to use a speaker's list to organize public comment. Members of the public who wish to address the Board will sign the speaker's list and indicate which agenda item(s) they wish to address. 
• The time allotted for public comment will be assigned by the chair or the person responsible for organizing the agenda. 
• The chair shall rule out of order any presentation to the board which breaches the privacy or other rights of students, parents or school employees, or which does not comply with Board policy on complaints. 

Persons Who May Address the Board 

• Any district resident 
• School Employees, students and parents
• Individuals who have been requested by the Superintendent or the board to present a given subject 
• Persons who are directly affected by matters on the board agenda 
• Others at the discretion of the board 

Public Comment on Matters Included & Not Included on the Agenda 

• There will be time set aside for public comment on items included or not included on the agenda at the beginning and end of every regular, special or emergency meeting of the board. 

Link to our BO.2 Public Participation at Board Meeting Policy on our Policy Page

In order to encourage public discourse and to provide for an orderly system to conduct Supervisory Union or member School District business by the School Boards, the following guidelines are adopted: 

1. Any District resident, school staff member, student, parent/guardian and people who are directly affected by matters on the Board agenda may address the Board. The Board may also allow others to address the Board. 
    
2. The Superintendent or Board may request, but not require, other members of the public with standing on the matter to present information on a particular subject during public comment or prior to the Board taking specific action on any agenda item. 
    
3. Individual comments will be limited to three (3) minutes unless extended by the Chair. 
    
4. There will be a time set aside at the beginning and end of the meeting for public input on matters included on the agenda and items not included on the agenda at every regular, special or emergency meeting of the Board. Multiple comments from the same person on a single issue or topic will be allowed only at the discretion of the Board Chair. 
    
5. When individuals are present, in person or remote, who wish to speak with the board, the board chair will read the following statement prior to the first public comment period of the meeting. 
   1. Community members,  we are about to enter the citizen comment period of our meeting. As a reminder, the citizen comment period is not designed to be a discussion, but rather an opportunity for board members to listen to constituents. 
      Citizens have two options for sharing comments during this meeting-either virtually via our meeting platform or in-person in accordance with state requirements. Each individual speaker is allotted three (3) minutes. Please speak only when I recognize you, identify yourself by stating your name and place of residence and direct all comments to the board. 
      Alternatively, you may choose to submit written comments to the board in lieu or speaking during the public comment period. Your written comments will be read by all board members. 
      One additional reminder: I know we can all agree that our children and youth in our community must always be at the center of everything we do as a school system. They are paying attention and they look to all of us as models of how to engage with one another. To that end, it is our responsibility-as members of the CVSU community- to discuss deeply meaningful topics in a manner that demonstrates civil discourse and mutual respect for one another, especially on topics where we may disagree. 
      We will not tolerate things like profanity, shouting, or personal attacks. Remember to keep our students in mind when you share your comments with the board today-what you say and how you say it matters. 
      The board will now entertain public comment for 20 minutes. 
       
6. The Chair will not allow personal attacks or vulgar language at any time. 
    
7. If an individual or group would like to request that an item requiring board action be placed on the agenda, pleas contact the Board Chair or Superintendent before the Friday prior to the Board Meeting. This allows for inclusion on the agenda and a proper warning period covered by Open Meeting Law. 
    
8. The Chair shall rule out of order any presentation to the Board which breaches the privacy or other rights of students, parents, or school employees, or which does not comply with the following Parent/Guardian/Community Member Concern Protocol. 
   1. If possible privately share with the individual with whom you have the concern. 
   2. If not possible or the concern cannot be resolved, please bring it to the attention of the immediate supervisor or the administrator. 
   3. When an immediate supervisor is involved and the concern cannot be resolved, please bring it to the attention of an administrator. 
   4. After review of the issue, if the administrator's action does not lead to a satisfactory resolution, contact the Superintendent who will review the matter and make a decision. 
   5. If the above steps do not resolve the issue, the Parent/Guardian/Community member may request a meeting with the Board to review the Superintendent's decision. This meeting will include all appropriate school and supervisory union administrators for the purpose of presenting facts, making further explanations and clarifying the issue. The Board will render a decision. The decision will be final. 
   6. If is the intent of the Board that the rights of employees under collective bargaining agreements and Vermont Law be protected through the administration of this protocol. 
       
9. All rulings by the Chair regarding Public Participation shall be final unless overruled by the Board in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order. 
    
10. In the event of an extreme emergency (fire, riot, or other safety-related emergency) the following statement will be read to adjourn the meeting.
    1. Due to safety concerns, I declare the meeting adjourned until the next meeting of the board. 
        
11. In less extreme emergencies, the following statement will be read prior to taking a recess:
    1. Due to the level of incivility in the room, is there a board member who wishes to move that the board recess this meeting until called to order by the chair? 
    2. This motion will be seconded, is not debatable, requires a majority vote, and cannot be reconsidered.
        
12. These procedures shall remain in force unless specifically changed by a majority vote of the Board. 

Link to the CVSU/PMSD Procedure on our Policy Page 

In order to encourage public discourse and to provide for an orderly system to conduct Supervisory Union or member School District business by the School Boards, the following guidelines are adopted: 

1. Any District resident, school staff member, student, parent/guardian and people who are directly affected by matters on the Board agenda may address the Board. The Board may also allow others to address the Board. 
    
2. The Superintendent or Board may request, but not require, other members of the public with standing on the matter to present information on a particular subject during public comment or prior to the Board taking specific action on any agenda item. 
    
3. Individual comments will be limited to three (3) minutes unless extended by the Chair. 
    
4. There will be a time set aside at the beginning and end of the meeting for public input on matters included on the agenda and items not included on the agenda at every regular, special or emergency meeting of the Board. Multiple comments from the same person on a single issue or topic will be allowed only at the discretion of the Board Chair. 
    
5. When individuals are present, in person or remote, who wish to speak with the board, the board chair will read the following statement prior to the first public comment period of the meeting. 
   1. Community members,  we are about to enter the citizen comment period of our meeting. As a reminder, the citizen comment period is not designed to be a discussion, but rather an opportunity for board members to listen to constituents. 
      Citizens have two options for sharing comments during this meeting-either virtually via our meeting platform or in-person in accordance with state requirements. Each individual speaker is allotted three (3) minutes. Please speak only when I recognize you, identify yourself by stating your name and place of residence and direct all comments to the board. 
      Alternatively, you may choose to submit written comment to the board in lieu of speaking during the public comment period. Your written comment will be read by all board members. 
      The board will now entertain public comment for 20 minutes. 
       
6. The Chair will not allow personal attacks or vulgar language at any time. 
    
7. If an individual or group would like to request that an item requiring board action be placed on the agenda, pleas contact the Board Chair or Superintendent before the Friday prior to the Board Meeting. This allows for inclusion on the agenda and a proper warning period covered by Open Meeting Law. 
    
8. The Chair shall rule out of order any presentation to the Board which breaches the privacy or other rights of students, parents, or school employees, or which does not comply with the following Parent/Guardian/Community Member Concern Protocol. 
   1. If possible privately share with the individual with whom you have the concern. 
   2. If not possible or the concern cannot be resolved, please bring it to the attention of the immediate supervisor or the administrator. 
   3. When an immediate supervisor is involved and the concern cannot be resolved, please bring it to the attention of an administrator. 
   4. After review of the issue, if the administrator's action does not lead to a satisfactory resolution, contact the Superintendent who will review the matter and make a decision. 
   5. If the above steps do not resolve the issue, the Parent/Guardian/Community member may request a meeting with the Board to review the Superintendent's decision. This meeting will include all appropriate school and supervisory union administrators for the purpose of presenting facts, making further explanations and clarifying the issue. The Board will render a decision. The decision will be final. 
   6. If is the intent of the Board that the rights of employees under collective bargaining agreements and Vermont Law be protected through the administration of this protocol. 
       
9. All rulings by the Chair regarding Public Participation shall be final unless overruled by the Board in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order. 
    
10. In the event of an extreme emergency (fire, riot, or other safety-related emergency) the following statement will be read to adjourn the meeting. 
    1. Due to safety concerns, I declare the meeting adjourned until the next meeting of the board. 
11. In less extreme emergencies, the following statement will be read prior to taking a recess:
    1. Due to the level of incivility in the room, is there a board member who wishes to move that the board recess this meeting until called to order by the chair? 
    2. This motion will be seconded, is not debatable, requires a majority vote, and cannot be reconsidered. 
12. These procedures shall remain in force unless specifically changed by a majority vote of the Board. 

Link to the EVCSD Procedure on our Policy Page